Android vs. Apple in One Chart

Here are some basic comparisons of the Android and iOS (Apple) mobile ecosystems.

Android

Apple

PRIVACY

D

A

SECURITY

C

A

CONFIGURABILITY

A

D

SATISFACTION

C

A

RESELL VALUE

D

A

COST

B

D

QUALITY

C

A

Here are explanations for the ratings:

PRIVACY: Apple has repeatedly declared a no-compromise position on privacy, even when it directly opposes the mainstream government position. Google is an advertising company that makes more money the more it knows about you.

SECURITY: Android is an extremely open platform, which makes it more configurable and less secure. Apple is the polar opposite, with a more limited ability to modify the system but increased control and security as a result.

CONFIGURABILITY: Android is the king of configurability. If you are into tweaking how your device works, Android is the platform. Apple has limited customization features but they are nothing compared to what Android offers.

SATISFACTION: Apple produces delight in its users, which has been reported repeatedly through publications such as Consumer Reports. Android is more hit and miss because so much depends on the combination of the hardware and the software. And with the hardware coming from so many vendors, and changing so quickly, it’s harder to produce high levels of happiness over time the way Apple does.

RESELL VALUE: Apple is the master of resell value. iPhones from two or three years ago sell for the same or higher value than Android devices from just a few months ago.

COST: There are very expensive Android devices, and there are relatively cheap Apple devices, but in general the truth remains that Android devices are far cheaper than Apple devices, especially when service plans are added to the considerations. Android wins this one easily.

QUALITY: Quality refers to the overall combination of hardware and software, stability, bugginess, consistency, and general user experience. Here Apple definitely wins because of its philosophy of doing fewer things better.

Summary

This is my attempt at an extremely impartial look at the Android and iOS phone offerings. It’s cliché, but it really does reduce to what you want from a device.

If you like an overall quality experience, and have the money to spend, Apple is likely to make you happier

If you thrive on customization and tweaking and don’t mind accepting a bit more risk, you should definitely pursue Android

In truth, the platforms are both so high quality at this point that it’s just a matter of preference. Pick the attributes you like the most and go with it.